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4 important items when hiring a caravan with us. More information below at point 3!
FAQ's Perfect Break Caravans
How do I make a booking enquiry? To make a booking enquiry go to the 'Quote tab 1st from the left and fill in your details which will only be used by us.
How much are the caravans hired for? Hire costs vary depending on the time of the year and demand that comes with this. Busy times of the year are obviously more expensive such as Summer and Easter holidays which are PEAK times. The cheapest time to hire is the middle of the year each side of school holidays ALTHOUGH the school holidays in the mid year break are much cheaper than any others.
What do I need to do before picking up my #hirecaravan or #hireRV? Follow the following steps to help make your pickup and trip more seamless although remember that not all things go to plan!
1. Make sure you have a 7 pin flat rectangular FEMALE end on the back of your car. If you don't have one then get this fitted or adaptor to suit.
2. If hiring a Euro caravan from us make sure you have a locking tow ball sleeve OR remove your normal tow ball so we can fit one for you.
3. Bring your own mattress protectors and linen as these are not provided.
4. Be ready to understand your caravan by watching our videos and reading the attachments sent to you on that caravan when booking.
5. Sign the online form and complete the last page of the hire agreement and photograph and send back to us.
6. Negotiate and maintain communication about pickup time to make sure you are on time and do not incur any late fees etc. Best through email to make sure texts etc are not lost or missed.
7. If taking your caravan home or someone else's make sure you choose the 15- 10 amp adaptor on booking as this is needed to plug into a normal 10 amp power point. Power poles in caravan parks are 15 amp not 10 as houses are.
8. Know and understand the hire agreement and fine print.
9. Bring your own gas tanks for guaranteed gas or choose the ADD ON Guaranteed full gas tank option when booking. Gas is not provided with hires.
Does Perfect Break Caravans show me what to do before I take the caravans away as I've never had a caravan before? Yes PBC does walk you through the basics of how to hook up and set up your caravan. There are also intructional guides on this website under the 'Fine Print and Help Tab' third from the left at the top of the page.
How do I know if my car can tow your caravans? Perfect Break Caravans are all under a 1000kg in unladened weight(without clothes and accessories) and are able to be towed by most cars which have an engine larger than 2 litres. The larger or more powerful your car the better it will tow, but you do not have to have a 4WD to do so. Always check with your manufacturer or car mechanic for your towing capacity. Your actual tow bar should have a minimum rating of around 1300kg which is often written on or near it OR in your car manual. Checking with your dealer or manufacturer is best but here is a list of some cars people have successfully towed with so far.
What cars have successfully towed our caravans? #Ford Falcon, #Ford Territory, #Ford XR6, #Holden Statesman Caprice 1981, #Holden Commodore, #Holden S pack commodore, #Holden Rodeo, #Hyundai i35, #Hyundai Santa Fe, #Hyundai Trajet, #Mazda Tribute, #Mazda Bravo, #Mitsubishi Delica 4WD Van, #Mitsubishi Triton, #Nissan Patrol, #Nissan utes, #Subaru Forester, #Subaru Outback, #Toyota Kluga, #Toyota Tarago 2.4, #Toyota Landcruiser, #Toyota Hiace Van, #Toyota Hilux, #Toyota Avalon, #Toyota Camry, #Toyota Sportivo, #VW Combi 1976, #VW Van 2003...
How far away from Sydney is Perfect Break Caravans? Only an hour and a half south of Sydney and less that this from southern Sydney suburbs. Many people who hire from Sydney like the fact that they can get half way or even all of the way on their trip before they grab a caravan for hire, saving fuel and drive time.
Can I take your caravans interstate? Yes, they are able to be taken interstate. We just like to know where you are planning to go so that we know the km's you are doing and the wear and tare we need to allow for in our maintenance cycles.
Customers travelling interstate or any distance from Kiama NSW need to make sure they have NRMA Premium care or NRMA Premium Care plus which covers cars AND caravans. What this means is that if the caravan breaks down OR your car both can be towed to the nearest repair centre. IF the caravan cannot be fixed within 24 hours so that you can bring it back then there is $3000 worth of money which can be accessed to get it back to Perfect Break Caravans repairers. This is of paramount importance as it is the hirers responsibility to look after out caravans and return them to us. See the NRMA PDF for what is covered with NRMA Premium Care.
We may be travelling on dirt roads. Is this allowed? Small lengths of dirt roads into properties etc is OK but any section of road which is more of a short cut or of many km's in length is not acceptable for our caravans as they are NOT off- road caravans. Any damage or wear and tear could end up costing you your bond etc which is decided to be from driving on dirt roads. Any rough dirt road into a property should not be driven on(no matter how short) as undue flex in the chassis etc can often do irreparable damage which you as the hirer would be responsible for. If in doubt please discuss this with us before booking.
When do I know my dates have been booked and held for me? Dates and holiday bookings are held as soon as your deposit(or full fees if under 2 weeks before pickup) are deposited into our account. Perfect Break Caravans does NOT hold dates for people until this has occured. The hire agreement must also be sent back and OK'd by Perfect Break Caravans before booking completion.
What happens if I cancel a booking? Cancellation fees do occur as we may have lost a booking due to your dates being taken when someone else enquired. This is in the hire agreement. Summary is as follows:
(a) If cancelled over 30 days prior to pick-up date: 20% of the full rental charges.
(b) If cancelled within 7-29 days of pick-up date: 75% of the full rental charges.
(c) If cancelled 1-6 days prior to pick-up date: 100% of full rental charges.
(d) If cancelled on the day of pick-up or no show: No refund available of any hire charges or Bond.
(e) During long term hire if this is terminated early by the hirer then missing future or past payments may be taken from the BOND as the agreed hire amount was based on a certain agreed length of hire.
These must be followed to protect the viability of PBC as a business. If at all in doubt of your holiday you are best to follow these time periods closely or even better make sure you insure your holiday for unforeseen events in your life or where you are visiting.
Where do I find the Hire agreement or Fine Print? This can be found on the third tab from the left at the top of the web site.
How much is the BOND and when do I get it back? The bond is $750 and must be transferred at least 2 weeks before pick up. The bond will be transferred back to you within 7 days from the end of your booking.
Are Pets allowed in the caravans? Pets are generally not allowed in our caravans however if this is discussed with us we may make some exceptions provided they are not allowed on any perishable part of the caravan such as carpets, seats or bedding.
Are there any age restrictions for hirers? Yes, you must be a minimum of 21 years old.
How am I covered for Damage Liability? Perfect Break Caravans have Damage Liability on their caravans. This is included in your hire cost and BOND of $750. Your car MUST have COMPREHENSIVE insurance to be able to tow our caravans.
Do I need any special licence to tow a caravan? NO, just a normal Australian car licence is fine.
Do I have to clean the caravan after use? Yes. If the caravan is not returned in a clean state inside and out then this will be taken from your bond at a rate of $48 an hour.
What happens if I break down? In the event of a breakdown Perfect Break Caravans must be notified as soon as is practicable on 0413996516. It is the hirer’s responsibility to make sure that the Caravan is safe at all times. Perfect Break Caravans shall not be liable for expenditure, inconvenience, loss or damage incurred by the hirer in the event of a breakdown. It is the hirer’s responsibility to get the caravan to a safe place where repairs to the tow vehicle or caravan are being carried out. The hirer's own damage liability should cover this in the event of an accident but not for mechanical failure. In the event of an accident or breakdown it is the hirer’s responsibility to return or have returned the caravan to the Perfect break caravan’s depot in Dunmore by the end of the hire period.
Customers travelling interstate or any distance from Kiama NSW need to make sure they have NRMA Premium care or NRMA Premium Care plus which covers cars AND caravans. What this means is that if the caravan breaks down OR your car both can be towed to the nearest repair centre. IF the caravan cannot be fixed within 24 hours so that you can bring it back then there is $3000 worth of money which can be accessed to get it back to Perfect Break Caravans repairers. This is of paramount importance as it is the hirers responsibility to look after out caravans and return them to us.
See the NRMA PDF for what is covered with NRMA Premium Care
Does the Caravan come with free GAS? Gas is not provided by Perfect Break Caravans, however a gas tank is, which may have Gas in it depending on last use. Bring your own BBQ gas bottle if you need to or choose the add on 'guranteed full gas tank' and we will provide one for an extra fee.
Can I get a customer loyalty discount if I hire repeatedly from PBC? Yes. This is often given to repeat hirers up to around 10% off their next hire fees up to two weeks in duration.
Do PBC deliver and if so how much does this cost? PBC will deliver caravans to your destination at an extra cost to you. This cost has to be negotiated with is depending on distance and time. Pick up and drop off are the preferred options for us. Minimum delivery and pick up costs are around $60 each way depending on the booking time.
Why is the fridge not seeming to work? A caravan fridge is silent running and will not work unless the caravan is completely flat in every direction. This is also a safety design in the fridge especially when running the fridge on Gas? Fridges also struggle on very hot days in caravans and RV's so it is best to try not to open them too much.
Do your Caravans run 12 volt power for lights and include batteries? All of the caravans have 12 volt systems able to be used when not connected. Not all have a battery provided as these are quite expensive to maintain.
What happens if its a winter hire time? Are your caravans heated? Yes our caravans have heaters available for them. Please let us know upon booking if you need a heater and one will be supplied FREE of charge. For example this year we have had two snow trips taken in our caravans.
What Weights are your caravans and how do I know if I can tow them with my vehicle?
Tow ball weight guide. These are particularly important if you have a European car, SUV or 4wd as these are usually less able to tow heavier weights. Please check inside one of your doors for your tow ball weight or better still ask your dealer or tow bar installer. Towing Capacity is also important.
These are estimate tow ball weights as it does depend on how you load your caravan and how much gear you store in your caravan or towing vehicle. The less loaded makes for a safer tow in either your caravan or car. Perfect Break Caravans do not take responsibllity for your towing capacity or tow ball weights. This is up to you as the hirer to ensure your vehicle and tow bar can legally and safely tow our caravans.
Caravan Weights
Geist 535 xklusiv 2007
Tare weight:1,450 kg
Gross vehicle mass:1,800 kg
Tow ball weight 100kg
Adria altea 432px 2008
Tare weight: 910
Gross vehicle mass:1,100 kg
Tow ball weight- 62- 100kg max
Eg.
The kerbweight of the towing car needs to be at least 1294.11764706kgs to achive an 85% match, to achive a 95% match the tow car would need to be at least 1157.89473684 kgs. A tow car weighing less than 1100 kgs is very likely to be illegal and likely to result in a prosecution if you were stopped by the Police as well as invalidating any insurance for your car and caravan. From gocaravanning.com
Windsor rapid 2004
Tare weight: 1226kg
Gross vehicle mass:1529kg
Tow ball weight: 110kg
Chesney Playmate 1976
Tare weight: 980kg
Gross vehicle mass: 1280kg
Tow ball weight: 95kg estimate
Jayco Westport 1999
Tare weight: 1167kg
Gross vehicle mass: 1308kg
Tow ball weight: 130kg estimate
Jayco Designer 1994
Tare weight: 980
Gross vehicle mass: 1220
Tow ball weight: 110kg estimate
Jayco Starcraft 1996
Tare weight: 1060kg
Gross vehicle mass: 1270kg
Tow ball weight: 120kg estimate.
What cars have successfully towed our caravans with correctly weighted tow bars?
Perfect Break Caravans are all light weight and easy to tow. As long as your car has a towing capacity of around 1500kg+ then you should be able to tow any of our caravans.
Checking with your dealer or manufacturer is best but here is a list of some cars people have towed with so far.
#Audi A8
#BMW M5
#Dodge and Jeeps
#Ford Falcon
#Ford Territory
#Ford XR6
#Ford Explorer
#VW Combi 1976
#VW Van 2003
#Holden Statesman Caprice 1981
#Holden Commodore
#Holden S pack commodore
#Holden Rodeo
#Hyundai i30 diesel
#Jeep Rangler
#Land Rover Discovery
#Toyota Kluga
#Toyota Tarago 2.4
#Toyota Landcruiser
#Toyota Hiace Van
#Toyota Hilux
#Toyota Avalon
#Toyota Camry
#Toyota Sportivo
#Nissan Patrol
#Nissan X- Trail
#Nissan Pathfinders
#Nissan utes
#Subaru Forester
#Subaru Outback
#Hyundai i35
#Hynudai Santa Fe
#Hyundai Trajet
#Hyundai Terracan
#Mazda Tribute
#Mazda CX5
#Mazda CX7
#Mazda Bravo
#Mitsubishi Delica
#Mitsubishi Triton
#Mitsubishi Grandis
- updated 16/09/18
